Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami are running back their legendary collab

What do major fashion labels, superstar musicians, and streetwear maestros all have in common? They understand that if Takashi Murakami comes calling to collaborate, take him up on it right away. And among his most prominent work of all is the iconic colour-splashed collaboration with Louis Vuitton, which kicked off two decades ago. And on January 3, to commemorate 20 years of LV and Murakami, the partnership returns in full effect.

Murakami’s work is instantly recognisable, thanks to his signature blend of vibrant colours, bold lines, and a design sensibility that draws heavily from anime and traditional Japanese art. Since breaking through in the ’90s, he’s become a household name — a rare feat in the modern art world — and over the years, he’s collaborated with countless brands, artists, and musicians, from Kanye West to Nike to Billie Eilish. Plus, of course, Louis Vuitton.

Zendaya models LV & Murakami

The new collection is officially dubbed the Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Re-Edition, a remastered spin on the original collection spanning over 200 pieces. Shoes? Got ’em. Slides? You know it. Sunglasses? Sure. A skateboard? Get ready to ride (if you don’t mind potentially scuffing a Louis Vuitton x Murakami deck). All of the pieces feature everything you’d expect from Murakami — bright colours, maximalist design, and recurring iconography.

Murakami is a rare entity, as a modern artist who’s managed to create such a recognisable identity through his work. He’s been at this for a while and hasn’t once showed signs of slowing down. “What I think is that artists are quite similar to athletes,” he tells us, “And we always have to give our best performance every day, even if my body shape may be a bit different to an athlete’s.”

Twenty years ago Murakami collaborated with Louis Vuitton with an eye towards the future. Thanks to that foresight, another 20 years from now, everything he’s built through his work will almost certainly still stand — and hopefully he’ll return with yet another killer collection.